Fiber diameter of polybutylene terephthalate melt‐blown nonwovens

Abstract A polymer air‐drawing model of Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT) melt‐blown nonwovens has been established. The predicted fiber diameter coincides with the experimental data. The effects of the processing parameters on the fiber diameter have been investigated. A lower polymer flow rate, a higher initial air velocity, and a larger die‐to‐collector distance can all produce finer fibers, whereas too high an initial air velocity and too large a die‐to‐collector distance contribute little to the polymer drawing of PBT melt‐blown nonwovens. The results show the great potential of this research for the computer‐assisted design of melt‐blowing technology. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 97: 1750–1752, 2005